Labour work chief meets Dudley apprentices

Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Rachel Reeves, has visited Dudley to announce Labour’s plans for apprenticeships.

She called in to Dudley College to meet with apprentices on the Council’s training scheme, joined by Dudley MP Ian Austin and Council Leader and PPC for Stourbridge Pete Lowe.

During the visit she set out Labour’s plan to get as many school-leavers to on to apprenticeships as go to university, including measures to create at least one apprenticeship for every £1 million spent on big public projects and new rules to make large companies train a new apprentice for each skilled worker they hire from outside the EU.

Ian Austin said:

“Labour’s plans to boost the number of apprenticeships are really important to places like Dudley.

“Education and skills has to be our number-one priority for our area because it’s the only way we’ll attract the new investment and jobs on which our future prosperity depends.”

“That’s why I have worked really hard to push for investment in education and skills in Dudley including the new Dudley College buildings to help local businesses grow, educate young people and help adults get new jobs too.”